soft curls of her hair lay upon it. She was even more beautiful than he
had seen her before, her eyes bright and fascinating with the light of
challenge, her smile soft and untouched by tragedy this night.
'You're ready?'
'Yes, of course. You did say sunset, didn't you?' He nodded. She reached
for a blue silk stole and handed it to him. Woodenly he took it from her
fingers and set it around her shoulders. The sweet scent of her hair
rose against his nostrils, and the essence of it seemed to fill him.
Damn.
He'd tried so hard to gain control before entering the house. Now the
scent of her was tearing through his senses, exciting his temper as well
as his passions.
'Shall we go?'
'Yes, of course.' Her smile, he decided, was a wan- toh's. Miss. Stuart
was not entirely innocent, but rather a woman completely aware of her
power. She hadn't become a fluttering belle. Her intelligence was
apparent, along with her rock-hard strength, in her steady gaze.
And still . her beauty, her femininity . they were breathtaking. Jon had
seen it even when Jamie hadn't.
'Where is the dance?'
'In the alehouse,' he said curtly.
'But then he determined that he knew the game himself; he would play it,
too.
He smiled graciously, capturing her hand and slipping it around his
elbow.
'The rest seems to have done you quite well. You're looking
wonderfully--healthy.'
'Why, thank you, Lieutenant. With such flowery compliments a girl could
surely lose her head.'
'What a little liar. You wouldn't lose your head if the entire Apache
Nation was staring you down, would you, Miss. Stuart?'
'There you go again, Lieutenant, what a dazzling compliment.'
'Do you need compliments?'
'Maybe.'
They had reached the open doors to the alehouse. Already music could be
heard, the strains of a lively jig. The notes of the fiddle seemed to be
loudest, and for a moment Jamie thought that Tess's smile wavered. He
was suddenly displeased with the night, and with himself. She had gone
through a harrowing experience, and she had come through it with
tremendous spirit.
No more platitudes for this chit! he warned himself. But her eyes met
his in the dim light spilling from the open doorway. So deep a blue they
were mauve in the darkness, so wide and unwavering upon his. He wished
suddenly that 65 she hadn't been young, that she hadn't been beautiful.
That she hadn't been different from any other woman he'd ever met in his
life.
'Maybe you shouldn't have come tonight,' he said sol fly She smiled.
'I'm fine, Lieutenant, truly I am. Shall we go in?'
He nodded and escorted her on into the room. Dancers filled the floor,
soldiers in uniform, officers with epaulets and brightly colored sashes,
